NFL Betting: Dolphins Hope Hard Knocks Were Only In The Preseason

The Miami Dolphins usher in a new era on Sunday as Joe Philbin and Ryan Tannehill lead the team in to Reliant Stadium to face the Houston Texans. If the preseason is any indication of how many wins this roster can produce, the Dolphins could be in trouble. They lost all four of their exhibition games, never scored more than 17 points in any contest while scoring a total of 43 points in four games.

The Miami Dolphins are the biggest underdog on the NFL odds in Week 1 but they can still make it a productive week – even if they don’t win.

Miami Dolphins @ Houston TexansBetting Line: Texans -11

Few people are expecting the Dolphins to win in Week 1 but what fans would like to see is some growth. Clearly, the team is heading into a new direction but there are questions as to which direction that is.

All eyes will be on rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who isn’t exactly working with a full hand. There aren’t many playmakers around him and he’ll be asked to do plenty right off the bat.

At running back, a breakout season from Reggie Bush or Daniel Thomas would take the pressure off but few people are holding their breaths. Bush is now 27-years-old and while playing in a contract year might motivate him, most pundits have accepted him for the player who he is today.

If the Dolphins are to win on Sunday, they’ll need a huge effort from their defense – including numerous turnovers. Their defensive line is great against the run and if they can slow down Arian Foster, anything is possible.

Even so, winning in Week 1 seems like a very tall order for Miami. If the Dolphins can look competitive and keep this game close, fans will be relatively happy with the results.